Dream Team

PREPARE to have your mind blown.Or more realistically, prepare to be mildly intrigued by seven surprising Dream Team stats from the season so far.Nothing but factsCredit: Dream TeamDoku’s DribblesJeremy Doku leads the way for successful dribbles with 99 in all competitions.His closest rival is Morgan Rogers on 85 but the Aston Villa midfielder has played more than twice as many minutes.The Belgian winger completed a whopping 15 dribbles against Brighton last time out, helping him claim five bonus points.For comparison, Phil Foden has registered 24 successful dribbles all season.Shoot On SightAmazingly, only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have registered more shots on target than Alejandro Garnacho this season.The Manchester United has notched 45 in all competitions, the same tally as Ollie Watkins, one more than Cole Palmer, and two more than Alexander Isak.However, while Watkins and Palmer have scored 14 goals each and Isak has plundered 23, Garnacho has scored just eight goals in 44 outings.Shooting practice needed for the Argentine?Most read in FootballShot happyCredit: RexInstant ImpactMarco Asensio has scored seven goals in eight games since his loan switch to Aston Villa in January at a strike rate of one every 54.7 minutes.As a result, he’s averaging 8.3 points-per-game.Only Bukayo Saka (9.3) and Cole Palmer (8.6) boast better averages among midfielders this season and those two are flagged as unavailable right now.The Villains are the only team with SIX fixtures to fulfil across the next three Gameweeks, making Asensio extremely viable for the next month or so.Runaway LeaderMohamed Salah’s quality is hardly a secret but nobody would have predicted the extent of his success this season.At the time of writing, Liverpool’s main man is 111 points ahead of his closest rival, Bruno Fernandes.The Egyptian superstar leads the way for goals (32), assists (22) and big chances created (27).Following the Reds’ elimination from the FA Cup and Champions League, Salah has just nine league games remaining.Even so, he’s established such an emphatic lead that it’s highly unlikely anyone will catch up, even with additional fixtures.Catch him if you canCredit: AlamyKeeping Referees BusyBruno Guimaraes was by far and away the most fouled player in Dream Team last season and he’s on course to retain his title in 2024/25.Newcastle’s all-action midfielder has won 115 free-kicks to date.Only one other player, James Maddison (77), has been fouled more than 66 times this campaign.Guimaraes’ streetwise style is a big reason he ranks joint-seventh in his position for bonus points.Set-Piece Specialist As previously mentioned, Salah has created more big chances than anyone else but it may surprise Dream Team bosses to learn that Declan Rice is second in the list.Arsenal’s No41 has created 23 big chances (as defined by Opta) for his team-mates in all competitions.The main reason he is outperforming more creative talents such as Palmer and Fernandes in this metric is his set-piece expertise.The Gunners have posed a massive threat from corners this season and the quality of Rice’s delivery has been a crucial factor in his side’s success.Interestingly, Saka still ranks third for big chances created (22) despite the fact he hasn’t played since before Christmas!One of Arsenal’s primary weaponsCredit: GettyPicking Them OutHere’s the raw truth: no Dream Team goalkeeper has conceded more goals than Andre Onana this season.The Cameroon international has picked the ball out of his net 52 times in all competitions.Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale has done the same from fewer appearances but the numbers paint a stark picture of Manchester United’s recent fortunes.READ MORE SUN STORIESDespite shipping loads of goals, Onana ranks third in his position for total points.Only two keepers have made more saves at this stage.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

THIS international break gives Dream Team managers time to reflect upon the season so far.One aspect to consider is the players who have flown under the radar.Here we’ve assembled the best possible XI, based on total points, made up of available individuals who currently feature in less than 10% of teams.Surprised?Credit: GettyGOALKEEPERAndre Onana (7.4% ownership) – 156 ptsMany Dream Team bosses will be surprised to learn that only David Raya (£4.4m) and Emi Martinez (£3.9m) have more points than Manchester United’s last line of defence.No goalkeeper has conceded more goals than Onana in all competitions after 28 Gameweeks but he ranks third for saves with 107.Factor in nine clean sheets and the Cameroonian keeper has somehow cobbled together a respectable points tally, despite the Red Devils’ problems this season.Overlooked by too manyCredit: GettyDEFENDERSDaniel Munoz (5.5%) – 230 ptsJurrien Timber (5.9%) – 191 ptsMarc Guehi (9.2%) – 172 ptsThe presence of two Crystal Palace regulars suggests too many gaffers have overlooked the Eagles this campaign.That is certainly true of Munoz, who ranks second among all assets in his position having contributed five goals and six assists on top of 12 clean sheets.Most read in FootballThe Colombian wing-back also ranks third among all players for tackles – he does it all!Palace are due to face Fulham and Southampton in Gameweek 29 – Munoz surely deserves a popularity spike before the next deadline.Timber’s relatively low ownership is down to the fact most gaffers will opt for Gabriel (£4.6m) or William Saliba (£4.5m) when they’re keen on an Arsenal defender, understandably so.But the Dutchman is a perfectly viable option too as he’s now just four points shy of his French team-mate and 13 short of the Brazilian.Timber makes more tackles than the Gunners’ first-choice centre-backs and earns more bonus points.Bonus ballCredit: GettyMIDFIELDERSYouri Tielemans (6.4%) – 221 ptsDeclan Rice (7.6%) – 216 ptsBrennan Johnson (8.4%) – 208 ptsEberechi Eze (8.7%) – 205 ptsAlexis Mac Allister (5.2%) – 204 ptsMorgan Rogers (£3.9m) has justifiably been one of Dream Team’s most popular midfielders this season but it’s interesting that Tielemans’ ownership has never reached double figures when he ranks joint-ninth in his position, just a shade below his widely-owned team-mate.The Belgium international leads the way among all players for bonus points with 48 – only one other player, Ryan Gravenberch (£3.2m), has more than 40 at this juncture.Generally speaking, attack-minded midfielders tend to perform better than their more defensive counterparts, which probably explains Rice’s relatively low ownership.However, Arsenal’s No41 has registered 13 goal contributions, thanks in no small part to his set-pieces.In fact, Rice’s well-directed corners have helped him create 23 big chances in 2024/25 – only Mohamed Salah (£8m) is above him in this metric.Set-piece specialistCredit: ReutersJohnson remains Tottenham’s top scorer this term and he was previously among the most selected players in the game.His ownership plummeted when he suffered an injury in January and is yet to recover.Eze is the third Palace representative in this XI, underlining the South Londoners’ success since their upsurge in form a few months ago.The England international averages 6.8 points-per-game.His dribbling skill and ability to draw fouls has helped him gain 37 bonus points, a tally only bettered by five players.Dream Team bosses have called upon Luis Diaz (£3.5m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (£4.3m) when in need of a Liverpool midfielder but those who have taken a punt on Mac Allister have been duly rewarded.The World Cup winner ranks first for tackles among his team-mates and joint-second for bonus points, not to mention his 11 goal involvements.A formidable asset even at half capacityCredit: AFPSTRIKERSSon Heung-min (9.7%) – 260 ptsCody Gakpo (6.2%) – 239 ptsThe Spurs captain is the man with the most points who features in less than 10% of teams across all positions.Son has not always been at his best this season but it’s a measure of his pedigree that he ranks seventh overall having scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions.The South Korean superstar might be an excellent option in April, when Ange Postecoglou’s side will face Southampton and Wolves around two Europa League quarter-final legs against Frankfurt.Last but not least, it’s Gakpo, who boasted a much higher ownership before his ill-timed injury at the end of February.Salah has been an essential asset from the get-go but there have been times when doubling up on Liverpool forwards has yielded plentiful returns.Gakpo has scored 16 goals this season, a tally only bettered by four players.The Dutchman came off the bench against PSG and Newcastle and is therefore in contention to start against Everton after the international break.However, Liverpool assets are not as viable as they were following their elimination from the FA Cup and Champions League.Here’s the team in full…Andre OnanaDaniel MunozJurrien TimberMarc GuehiREAD MORE SUN STORIESYouri TielemansDeclan RiceBrennan JohnsonEberechi EzeAlexis Mac AllisterSon Heung-minCody GakpoScore PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

MORE than a few Dream Team managers benefited from Erling Haaland’s (£7.8m) converted penalty against Brighton.But it was Omar Marmoush (£4.3m) who top-scored at the Etihad on Saturday.Marmoush earned 15 points against the SeagullsCredit: Dream TeamThe Norwegian No9 was the fourth-most recruited player ahead of Gameweek 28 as well as the second favourite captain and so his nine-point return will have been warmly received.However, Manchester City’s new Egyptian forward banked 15 points to make a timely statement before Gameweek 29.Marmoush’s quick feet suckered Adam Webster (£2.8m) into a rash slide tackle in the box, resulting in an early penalty for the hosts.The former Frankfurt star was credited with an assist (in the world of Dream Team at least) when Haaland stroked the spot-kick past Bart Verbruggen (£2.5m).Then, in the 39th minute, he restored City’s lead with an emphatic strike from 20 yards out.Marmoush and Haaland dovetailed against BrightonCredit: PAThe Seagulls fought back and both sides had chances to win the frenetic contest but Marmoush’s haul was the headline of the 2-2 draw from a Dream Team perspective.MARMOUSH’S IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE VERSUS BRIGHTON:86 minutes played1 shot on target2 big chances created1 goal1 assist2 tackles15 pointsMost read in FootballThe 26-year-old has contributed four goals and two assists in ten appearances since his January transfer.This breaks down further to a goal involvement every 111 minutes – a relatively encouraging start.It’s often been the case that new signings have needed several weeks or months to adjust to life under Pep Guardiola before they’re deemed a truly effective cog in Man City’s machine but Marmoush has impressed from the get-go.Marmoush will be central to Man City’s rebuildCredit: PAHis 15-point return comes prior to Gameweek 28, when City are one of just seven teams set to fulfil two fixtures.After the international break, the defending champions travel to Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals before hosting relegation-bound Leicester in the Premier League a few days later – the Foxes are giving away points like nobody’s business right now.Marmoush should get plenty of minutes across those two fixtures and must therefore be considered a potentially smart differential option.He currently features in just 3.6% of teams, whereas Haaland boasts a massive ownership of 52.2%.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news for Gameweek 28 in one convenient location.Liverpool will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley.Alexander-Arnold is Dream Team’s leading points scorer among defenderCredit: Dream TeamThe England right-back was injured during the Reds’ exit from the Champions League at the hands of PSG.Alexander-Arnold, who features in 28.2% of teams at the time of writing, is expected to be out for several weeks with Arne Slot only saying that the defender should be back before the end of the season.Conor Bradley or Joe Gomez would usually deputise at right-back but both remain sidelined, seemingly leaving the door open for Jarell Quansah to start against Newcastle, but Arne Slot has hinted that Curtis Jones is another option.Wesley Fofana returned for Chelsea against Leicester in Gameweek 27 and Romeo Lavia is said to have regained fitness too.Enzo Maresca told reporters than Robert Sanchez will start between the sticks against Arsenal this weekend.Saka is “making really good progress”Credit: GettyAs for the Gunners, Raheem Sterling is ineligible to play against his parent club while Mikel Arteta stressed the need to manage Gabriel Martinelli’s workload in his Friday press conference.On Bukayo Saka, the Spanish coach said: “He’s stepping up and making really good progress. Let’s see when we decide to throw him in… and how quickly he can get fit.”Kevin Danso suffered a hamstring injury against Bournemouth last weekend and will be monitored carefully during the international break.Most read in FootballTottenham’s first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven reunited against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night.Rodrigo Bentancur was suspended in the Europa League but is available for the trip to Fulham on Sunday.Danso is sidelinedCredit: PAAndoni Iraola confirmed Bournemouth have no new injury concerns with centre-back lllia Zabarnyi set to return against Brentford having served his suspension in full.Similarly, Ipswich, Leicester, Wolves, West Ham and Nottingham Forest have all reported no fresh injuries.Mason Mount and Harry Maguire have a chance of making Manchester United’s matchday squad at the King Power.However, Leny Yoro is ruled out of the trip to Leicester with a foot injury while Patrick Dorgu continues his domestic suspension.Dream Team bosses should be aware that Aston Villa and Crystal Palace will BLANK in Gameweek 28 having originally been scheduled to face the Carabao Cup finalists.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWARSENALInjuries: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Kai HavertzSuspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Ross BarkleySuspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Julian Araujo, Marcos Senesi, Adam Smith, Enes UnalSuspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Igor Thiago, Rico Henry, Sepp van den Berg (doubt), Fabio CarvalhoSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: James Milner, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jason Steele, Igor Julio, Lewis Dunk, Joel Veltman, Matt O’RileySuspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto (doubt)Suspensions: Mykhailo MudrykCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Cheick Doucoure, Joel Ward, Chadi Riad, Jean-Philippe MatetaSuspensions: Will HughesEVERTONInjuries: Dwight McNeil, Armando Broja (doubt), Orel Mangala, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman NdiayeSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Kenny Tete, Reiss Nelson, Harry WilsonSuspensions: Sasa LukicIPSWICHInjuries: Chiedozie Ogbene, Conor Chaplin (doubt), Wes Burns, Arijanet Muric, Sammie Szmodics, Axel TuanzebeSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Abdul FatawuSuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, Trent Alexander-ArnoldSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Nathan AkeSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount (doubt), Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo, Harry Maguire (doubt), Leny YoroSuspensions: Patrick DorguNEWCASTLEInjuries: Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman, Lewis HallSuspensions: Anthony GordonNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Carlos MiguelSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Ross Stewart (doubt), Ryan Fraser (doubt), Juan Larios (doubt), James Bree, Jan BednarekSuspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Radu Dragusin, Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski, Kevin DansoSuspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Michail Antonio, Vladimir Coufal (doubt), Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio SummervilleSuspensions: NoneWOLVESREAD MORE SUN STORIESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Yerson Mosquera, Leon ChiwoneSuspensions: Matheus Cunha More

DREAM TEAM managers have until 1:30pm on Saturday to select their captain for Gameweek 28.There are no double headers to target this coming Gameweek so it’s simply a case of identifying the player most likely to cash in this weekend.Salah has an excellent record against NewcastleCredit: ReutersMohamed Salah (£8m) has been the most popular captain for the last 12 Gameweeks and Liverpool’s main man is set to maintain that status ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.The Reds will meet Newcastle at Wembley to determine the first trophy winners of the season.Salah has racked up 454 points via 32 goals and 22 assists in what will go down as one of the all-time great Dream Team campaigns; clearly he is a strong captaincy option.Furthermore, he boasts a fantastic record of ten goals and eight assists in 17 games against the Magpies.Will Alexander-Arnold’s absence hinder Salah at Wembley?Credit: GettyHowever, cup finals are often cagey affairs and Eddie Howe’s side will do everything in their power to frustrate the Egyptian superstar, who wasn’t at his best in either leg of the Champions League round of 16.Additionally, Arne Slot is expected to be without Trent Alexander-Arnold at Wembley and it’s the talented right-back who often finds Salah in promising positions with his wide range of passing.Many Dream Team bosses will be tempted to captain Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m).Manchester United’s captain is red hot right now having earned a whopping 39 points in Gameweek 27!Most read in FootballThe Portuguese midfielder scored a superb free-kick against Arsenal at the weekend before a clutch hat-trick against Real Sociedad on Thursday night to ensure his side’s progression to the Europa League quarter-finals.Hat-trick heroCredit: GettyGranted, two of his goals came from the penalty spot but what’s more relevant is that Fernandes is hoarding almost every point available at present.He must therefore be considered a viable skipper ahead of the Red Devils’ trip to Leicester this weekend.The Foxes have lost six consecutive games in all competitions, including a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford in the FA Cup.Fernandes banked nine points from that encounter but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he notched double digits this time around given he averages 12.6 points-per-game across his last eight outings!A wildcard optionCredit: GettyManchester City are at home to Brighton and so Erling Haaland (£8.1m) is in the captaincy conversation.The prolific No9 has scored 28 goals in all competitions this term but the Seagulls are in great form and so this match-up can’t be considered a friendly one – Fabian Hurzeler’s side won the reverse fixture on the south coast.But if you want to strap the armband to a big centre forward with a favourable fixture this Gameweek then perhaps Chris Wood (£3.9m) fits the bill.READ MORE SUN STORIESNottingham Forest’s target man has plundered 18 league goals and he will be hopeful of adding to that tally at Portman Road on Saturday.Ipswich are 18th in the table having conceded 58 goals, only Southampton and Leicester have shipped more to date.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

YOU should know the drill by now.We’re putting up £250 in prize money for Matchweek 25 in Score Predictor, which is free to play as usual.Play Score Predictor now!Credit: Dream TeamSimply enter your predictions for the five selected Premier League games and earn points for the accuracy of your forecast as the action unfolds.If you earn the most points then you’ll claim the cash prize!Allow us to present some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture to help inform your decisions…Manchester City v BrightonOnly Liverpool have taken more points than the Seagulls from their last six league games.And Fabian Hurzeler’s side will head to the Etihad with fond memories of the reverse fixture back in November, when they came from behind to win 2-1.Brighton lost 7-0 to Nottingham Forest at the start of February but have won six successive games in all competitions since.Pep Guardiola’s side have not been at their best for a long while but it’s still difficult to bet against them on their own patch.Just one point separates these two teams in the table.Most read in FootballOur Prediction: 2-2 drawBrighton have been in good form latelyCredit: ReutersBournemouth v BrentfordThe Cherries are without a win in their last three league outings but that doesn’t tell the full story.They played some superb football against Spurs last time out and would have been worthy winners were it not for a rash decision by Kepa Arrizabalaga.Bournemouth rank fourth for total shots and third for expected goals (xG) in the top flight this season.The Bees aren’t to be underestimated either and an open game may favour Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, a formidable counterattacking duo.Thomas Frank’s mob won 3-2 in West London earlier in the campaign but we think Andoni Iraola might take revenge this Saturday.Our Prediction: 3-1 to BournemouthBournemouth pack a punch in attackCredit: GettyArsenal v ChelseaIt’s second versus fourth at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.Both clubs have a European round of 16 second leg to complete before then but the Gunners have the luxury of a 7-1 aggregate lead over PSV in the Champions League and so Mikel Arteta may be able to manage his squad’s workload.Arsenal won this fixture 5-0 last season but that was with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, who are all sidelined with injury at present.The hosts boast the best defensive record in the league at this stage having conceded 24 goals.As for the Blues, they bounced back after a poor results of form with wins over Southampton, Copenhagen and Leicester but Arsenal are a different calibre of opposition.Cole Palmer’s diminishing form is a big cause for concern – Chelsea’s talisman even missed a penalty last time out.Our Prediction: 2-0 to ArsenalPalmer has gone off the boilCredit: GettyFulham v TottenhamAnge Postecoglou should prioritise this Thursday’s Europa League meeting with AZ Alkmaar as Spurs need to overturn a 1-0 deficit if they are to keep their trophy hopes alive.The Cottagers head into this fixture eight points clear of their opponents but they have fared better on the road this season.Even so, Marco Silva will be quietly confident having had a few extra days to prepare.Fulham are one of the league’s most consistent teams whereas Spurs are equally capable of the sublime as the ridiculous.The former have lost eight league games to the latter’s 14!If Spurs are to focus on Europe then it’s easy to see them coming unstuck at Craven Cottage.Our Prediction: 2-1 to FulhamPostecoglou will be desperate to remain in the Europa LeagueCredit: GettyLeicester v Manchester UnitedThe Red Devils also have a Europa League game this Thursday but, unlike Spurs, their next league opponent is one of the most favourable the top flight has to offer.Only Southampton have fewer points than the Foxes after 28 games and it appears Jamie Vardy and company are sinking towards the Championship after five consecutive defeats.Man United’s recent performances have still left much to be desired but draws against Everton and Arsenal either side of a win over Ipswich are not to be sniffed at.Bruno Fernandes has earned more than a few points single-handedly this campaign and he will enjoy himself if Leicester replicate their recent showings.Ruben Amorim got the better of Ruud van Nistelrooy in the FA Cup a few weeks back.Leicester haven’t scored a league goal since late February!READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 1-0 to Man UnitedProve you know better by entering your predictions for Matchweek 25 now!Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More